What happens if my preschooler gets an electric shock?

If your preschooler touches an electric current — with his finger, foot, or mouth, for example — the current runs through part of his body. Depending on the strength and type of current and how long your child holds on, it can cause a split-second sensation, a burn, or a serious injury.

An electric shock can be very minor and not cause any long-term damage. A strong enough current, though, can enter your child's body at one location and leave it at another, damaging all the tissue in its path.

If your child suffers an electric shock, he may have skin burns; numbness or tingling; muscle contractions, pain, or weakness; a headache; or hearing impairment. A big enough shock can make your child unconscious, stop his breathing, or cause seizures, cardiac arrest, damage to his brain, heart, or other organs, or even death.

What should I do if my child is shocked?

If you're witnessing the shock, shut off the source of the electricity if you can — unplug the cord, turn off circuit breakers, or remove the fuse from the fuse box.

Don't touch your child with your bare hands while he's in contact with the electric current and don't reach into water in which there's an electric current, or you may be electrocuted. If you need to break your child's connection with the current, use an object that's not metallic and won't conduct electricity, like a wooden broom or a rolled-up magazine.

If your child is no longer in contact with the current, check his breathing. If he's not breathing, have someone call 911 while you give CPR. If you're alone with your preschooler, give him CPR for two minutes, then call 911.

If your child's breathing is fine, check his skin color. Call for emergency help if he seems pale. Continue to monitor your child's breathing and begin CPR if he stops breathing.

Look for burned skin. An electric shock can cause a serious burn. Even if a burn doesn't look too bad on the outside, it could be deep and painful. And burns on the lips are sometimes hard to see.

If your child has a burn, don't put ice, ointment, or anything else on it. Unless you're sure the burn is very minor, take your child to the emergency room right away. (If it's very minor, you can take him to his doctor instead.)

The doctor can clean and dress your preschooler's burn and also check for internal damage, which can be hard for you to detect. She may suggest the proper dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief.

If the doctor thinks your preschooler may have suffered internal organ damage, she may run lab tests. And if your child has severe burns or internal damage, he'll be hospitalized.

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